Everyone in your house is asleep. Your phone is in your hand. Your finger is hovering over that app—the one you know you shouldn’t open. The one that leads to hours of wasted time and mountains of sin. The one that destroys your heart little by little every time you use it.
Nobody will know, according to the whisper in your mind. It’s just a few minutes. It’s not that bad. Everyone does it. You can repent tomorrow.
And you click it. You scroll. You watch. You sink deeper, as Islamic spiritual teachers observe happening to countless Muslims every single night.
Now let me tell you about someone else who faced temptation—but he chose differently. Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام was in a situation a thousand times more tempting than yours. And he ran. Literally ran away from sin.
You’re running toward it. Why?
The Locked Doors
According to the story preserved in Surah Yusuf, Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام was a young man—probably in his twenties—working in the house of the Aziz (minister) of Egypt. The Aziz’s wife, a woman of beauty, power, and status, had been watching him for years.
One day, as documented in Surah Yusuf and explained by classical scholars who studied this narrative extensively, she prepared everything. Her husband was away. The servants were dismissed. She locked all the doors—seven doors according to historical accounts preserved by early Islamic historians. Every exit secured. Complete privacy.
[Surah Yusuf, Ayah 23]
“And she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him. She closed the doors and said, ‘Come, you.’ He said, ‘[I seek] the refuge of Allah. Indeed, he is my master, who has made good my residence. Indeed, wrongdoers will not succeed.'”
Imagine the scene. A beautiful, powerful woman. Offering herself. No witnesses. According to classical Islamic commentaries documented by exegetes like Ibn Kathir, she had adorned herself and prepared the room specifically for this moment. The doors—all of them—locked behind him, as Quranic description emphasizes to show the completeness of the trap.
Most men, would have fallen. The temptation was overwhelming. The opportunity was perfect. The excuse was ready: “She initiated it. She locked the doors. What could I do?”
But Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام did something that should shame every Muslim who’s ever given in to far less temptation. He said no. And then he ran, as documented explicitly in the next verse of Surah Yusuf.
[Surah Yusuf, Ayah 25]
“And they both raced to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back, and they found her husband at the door. She said, ‘What is the recompense of one who intended evil for your wife but that he be imprisoned or a painful punishment?'”
He ran so fast that his shirt tore as she grabbed it from behind, trying to stop him. He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t negotiate. He didn’t think “just once.” He chose potential death or imprisonment over five minutes of sin—because he knew what you seem to have forgotten: Allah ﷻ was watching.
The Test You’re Failing
Now compare that to your situation. You’re not trapped in a locked room with a seductive woman. You’re lying in bed with a phone.
You’re not facing a powerful person who could ruin your career. You’re facing pixels on a screen that have zero power over you—except the power you give them.
You’re not in a situation where “no one will know.” Two angels are recording every click, every glance, every second you spend feeding your eyes haram content. Allah ﷻ knows, as emphasized in countless Quranic verses studied by scholars. Your own limbs will testify against you on Judgment Day.
Yet Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام—in a situation where the temptation was infinitely greater and the excuse infinitely more valid according to human reasoning—ran away. And you, with far less temptation and zero excuse, run toward sin like it’s calling your name.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 77, Hadith 6243) and Sahih Muslim (Book 46, Hadith 2657): “Allah has written down the good deeds and the bad ones. Whoever intends a good deed and does not do it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed. If he intends it and does it, Allah writes it down with Himself as from ten good deeds to seven hundred times, or many times over. Whoever intends a bad deed and does not do it, Allah writes down with Himself as a full good deed. If he intends it and does it, Allah writes it down as one bad deed.”
Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام intended good—he intended to flee from sin—and he did it. Every step he took running toward that door, was recorded as a good deed. The shirt being torn from his back was physical proof of his determination to obey Allah ﷻ over his desires.
You? you’re racking up bad deeds with every intentional click, every lustful glance, every moment you spend doing what you know displeases Allah ﷻ.
The Excuse That Doesn’t Work
But you have excuses, don’t you? let me list them for you:
“It’s just looking. I’m not actually doing anything.” That’s exactly what Shaytan wants you to think. Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as recorded in Sahih Muslim (Book 33, Hadith 6421) and Sahih al-Bukhari: “Allah has written down the good deeds and the bad deeds, and then explained it. The zina of the eyes is looking, the zina of the tongue is speaking, and the nafs yearns and desires, and the private parts confirm all that or deny it.”
The zina of the eyes is looking. Every haram image you look at, every Instagram model you stare at, every Netflix scene you don’t skip, every pornographic video you watch— it’s zina (adultery) of the eyes. And on the Day of Judgment, your eyes will testify about what they saw.
“Everyone struggles with this. It’s normal.” Since when did common sin become acceptable? Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام was surrounded by a society drowning in immorality. The women of the city—the elite, powerful women—were so consumed by lust for him that they cut their hands when they saw him, as described later in Surah Yusuf. Yet he remained pure. Your environment doesn’t excuse your choices.
“I’ve tried to stop. I can’t.” Did Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام say “I can’t run, the doors are locked”? He ran anyway. And miraculously, according to authentic Tafsir documented by early exegetes, the locks opened for him because Allah ﷻ aids those who strive to obey Him. You haven’t really tried. You’ve made half-hearted attempts between relapses. True trying, according to Islamic spiritual teachings, looks like Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام—literally tearing yourself away even when it hurts.
“I’ll quit tomorrow. After this one last time.” Tomorrow is what Shaytan has been selling you for months—maybe years—according to what Islamic counselors observe in addiction patterns. The door of Tawbah is open now. Not tomorrow. Not after “one last time.” Now—while you still have life, while your heart still feels some shame.
[Surah Al-Furqan, Ayah 43]
“Have you seen the one who takes as his god his own desire? Then would you be responsible for him?”
You’ve made your desire your god. You worship it. You obey it. You sacrifice your prayers, your sleep, your relationship with Allah ﷻ, your dignity—all to feed it.
What Prophet Yusuf Knew That You’ve Forgotten
According to the full story in Surah Yusuf studied by Islamic scholars, after Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام ran and was falsely accused, he was thrown in prison. Years in prison—for a sin he didn’t commit. And even there, when given the choice between freedom with continued temptation or remaining in prison, he chose prison.
[Surah Yusuf, Ayah 33]
“He said, ‘My Lord, prison is more beloved to me than that to which they invite me. And if You do not avert from me their plan, I might incline toward them and [thus] be of the ignorant.'”
Prison is more beloved to me than sin, according to what Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام said as documented in the Quran. Let that destroy you. He preferred years of physical imprisonment over moments of spiritual imprisonment to sin, according to his explicit statement preserved by Allah ﷻ in His Book.
You won’t even give up your phone for one night. You won’t delete one app. You won’t install one filter. You won’t move your device out of your bedroom. You won’t take one basic step to protect yourself—because according to your actions regardless of your words, you love your sin more than you love freedom from it.
But here’s what should wake you up: Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام preferred temporary prison over temporary sin because he knew the alternative was eternal prison—Jahannam. He understood what you’ve forgotten: every sin you commit for a few minutes of pleasure could cost you eternity.
The Command You’re Ignoring
Allah ﷻ didn’t just tell the story of Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام for entertainment. He commanded you—explicitly, directly—to protect your gaze.
[Surah An-Nur, Ayah 30]
“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do.”
Lower your gaze. Not “try your best.” Not “when convenient.” Lower your gaze—meaning actively control where your eyes go, don’t let them wander to haram.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emphasized this further. Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as recorded in Sunan Abi Dawud (Hadith 2149) and authenticated by scholars: “O Ali, do not follow a glance with another, for you will be forgiven for the first, but not for the second.”
The first accidental glance might be forgiven. But the second intentional one? The one where you go back for another look? The one where you click on the profile? The one where you search for more? According to Islamic law based on this hadith, that’s sin—pure, recorded, accountable sin.
Yet you’re not just taking a second glance. You’re taking hours of glances. Thousands of images. Videos. Stories. Reels. All haram. All recorded. All waiting for you on the Day of Judgment when your eyes will testify about what they feasted on.
The Solution You’re Avoiding
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gave you the solution. Abdullah ibn Mas’ud رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 62, Hadith 4) and Sahih Muslim (Book 16, Hadith 1400): “O young men, whoever among you can afford it, let him get married, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding chastity. Whoever cannot afford it, let him fast, for it will be a shield for him.”
Marriage if you can. Fasting if you can’t. Not porn. Not “temporary girlfriend.” Not haram relationships. Not feeding your desires with more haram content.
If you can get married, do it. Stop making excuses about not being “ready” while you’re ready enough to commit zina of the eyes every single night. Marriage is protection. It channels your desires in a halal way.
If you can’t get married yet, fast. Not once in a while—regularly. Mondays and Thursdays. Sunnah fasts. Voluntary fasts. Fasting weakens desires, trains you in self-control, and reminds you that you can say no to your nafs.
But most importantly : Run. Like Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام ran. Delete the apps. Install filters. Move your devices out of your bedroom. Change your route if it takes you past temptation. Unfollow every account that makes you sin.
The Companions رضي الله عنهم would literally run from situations that could lead to sin. They understood what you’ve forgotten: you’re weak. Your nafs is weak. Shaytan is strong. And the only way to win, is to not be in the battle in the first place—flee before you fall.
The Reality Check
Let me be brutally honest: Every image you look at, every video you watch, every lustful thought you entertain—it’s all being recorded. The angels on your shoulders, are writing it down. Allah ﷻ is watching.
And on the Day of Judgment, when you’re standing there and your book of deeds is opened—all of it will be there. Page after page of sin. Hour after hour of disobedience. Year after year of choosing your desires over your Creator.
Your mother will see it. Your father. Your siblings. Your spouse. Your children. Everyone will know what you thought was secret. And you’ll have no excuse because, you knew it was wrong—you just didn’t care enough to stop.
But here’s the hope that Islamic teachings offer through Quranic promises: It’s not too late. The door of Tawbah is still open. Allah ﷻ is still calling you back. He’s giving you another day, another hour, another breath—another chance to choose differently.
[Surah Az-Zumar, Ayah 53]
“Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.'”
All sins. Every image. Every video. Every hour wasted. Every relationship that was haram. According to Islamic teachings on divine mercy, if you sincerely repent—if you stop, regret, commit to never return, and beg for His forgiveness—He will forgive you. He might even replace those sins with good deeds, according to the verse from Surah Al-Furqan documented by scholars.
But you have to actually stop, according to Islamic requirements for valid repentance emphasized by scholars. Not “try.” Not “cut back.” Stop. Delete it. Block it. Run from it like Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام ran.
The Choice
Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام had locked doors between him and freedom. You have an unlocked phone between you and sin. He ran toward purity despite the obstacles. You run toward sin despite having every tool to stop, as Islamic observers note about modern resources available to Muslims.
He chose prison over compromise, according to his explicit statement in Surah Yusuf. You won’t even choose minor inconvenience over comfort, based on behavioral patterns scholars observe.
He feared Allah ﷻ more than he desired pleasure. You fear missing out more than you fear Hellfire, according to what your choices reveal regardless of your words.
Tonight, when you’re alone with your phone and the temptation comes again—and according to patterns scholars observe, it will come—you have a choice to make. The same choice Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام made in that locked room based on the test described in Surah Yusuf.
Will you run toward sin? Or will you finally, for the first time in however long it’s been according to your own knowledge of your struggle, run away from it?
Your shirt might tear in the process, metaphorically speaking as scholars interpret this symbolism. It might hurt. It might be difficult. It might cost you comfort, entertainment, temporary pleasure. But according to Islamic teachings emphasized by scholars, it will save your soul.
Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام ended up in prison temporarily, according to the Quranic narrative, but eventually became the minister of Egypt and entered Paradise eternally according to his status as a prophet. The path of purity led to honor in both worlds.
You’re choosing the opposite, based on current patterns. Temporary pleasure now. Eternal regret later, according to Islamic eschatological warnings documented by scholars.
It’s time to run. Not tomorrow. Not after “one last time.” Now. While Allah ﷻ is still giving you chances. While your heart still has some life in it. While the door of repentance is still open.
Run from that app. Run from that website. Run from that “friend” who pulls you into sin. Run from every situation, every thought, every temptation that leads you away from Allah ﷻ.
And run toward Allah ﷻ. Toward prayer. Toward Quran. Toward dhikr. Toward marriage if you can. Toward fasting if you can’t. Toward anything and everything that brings you closer to Him.
Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام ran, and Allah ﷻ opened the locked doors for him according to Quranic miracle. If you run—sincerely, desperately, completely—Allah ﷻ will open doors for you too.
But you have to actually run. Not walk. Not hesitate. According to the example set by Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام, run for your life. Because, that’s exactly what’s at stake—your eternal life.
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